Life, Love and Dreams
by Majs007
Summary: Goku reflects on the life he chose and visits everyone as a spirit. Set after GT, after Goku was absorbed by Shenron.


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Life, Love and Dreams

A figure looked below the clouds and above the ground. He saw the world in color and saw the world in black and white. The universe was everything yet it was nothing. Just one universe stuck out for him, only one grain of sand in an entire beach. That universe was the one where a man named Son Goku once resided. He didn't die nor is he still living in that universe. Instead, he was everywhere but he was nowhere.

Had Son Goku experienced this when he was mortal, he would shun it away, say it wasn't for him. How ironic that once he was offered the place of a god when he was a god above all. Well, not above all seeing as Jouten was above all the other gods.

The once former Son Goku sighed. It was ungodly to sigh but he had spent too much time as a mortal to realize it. He watched his lover and children on this world. All his emotions were dulled, as if his new old powers were telling him that he didn't need them. He chose to override his powers; it was his emotions that give him strength. 

When his old dragon friend invited him to ride on his back, Son Goku agreed, ignorant of what was happening on the outside, but knew on the inside. The dragon called him, singing its song to him. He felt it ever since the dragon sang to him the first time he ever saw the dragon. A song so quiet, that only his soul heard it. Even the dragon didn't know whom he was dealing with until the end, when he became the elements. 

The entity formally known as Son Goku went back to his world in the clouds. It was the place that most of the gods resided. His separate home, the world of the dragons, once empty with his absence, now grew with life. He walked up to the sleeping dragon Shenron. Shenron stirred but did not wake. He wouldn't wake for more than a century. Then and only then, would he and the dragon be free leave this godly world even if it were to be a short time. He was slightly jealous of his dragon friend. While Son Goku might live once again on earth, it would be for only a short while. But he already made a promise to Shenron that the Nameks would once again care for him.

That would mean that the dragonballs would once again be active and wishes could be granted. But Son Goku would have to leave from the mortal plane again. Someone had to tend to the dragons. If he won't, then the dragons would run amok or even die out. Just like they almost did. 

The former Son Goku glanced back at his old friend, then returned to his mortal home. A home where no one could see him. He was invisible to the world, to most of his friends. Most of them. There was only one that could feel his presence hear him and even see him. This one soul was exceedingly powerful, perhaps suggested a greater background than he thought. The lives that this soul led to gain this power must have been great.

He chose to visit this one soul, this one friend that can hear and see him.

Son Goku formed his body, in spirit form, and flew to his destination. He felt the most comfortable flying in his old mortal form. It reminded him when he was mortal, now only a comforting memory.

Son Goku flew to the mountains, where his friend was sitting, watching the sun set beneath the Earth horizon. He landed on the ground and waited till the figure recognized his presence. He knew that the one soul could sense him, just whether he chose to ignore him or talk to him was his choice.

"You're late Kakarot." Vegeta spoke gruffly.

"Sorry Vegeta. I had a lot on my mind."

Vegeta stood up and dusted off his clothes. "You should go see you mate more often," Vegeta said casually. "She's been keeping Bulma too busy for my liking. I think they, or at least my woman, are planning something against me."

Goku chuckled, something he wasn't able to for a while now. Vegeta looked at Goku and cocked his eyebrow. "I'm serious too." He concluded.

After that, there was an uncomfortable silence between them. Vegeta spoke, breaking the silence. "You need to get a life, Kakarot. You have all the wisdom of the world but you don't have an active brain cell in your head. In other words, you're still an idiot."

Goku stared at Vegeta open mouth. What was he to say? He tried to run Vegeta's words in his head, trying to get what he meant. He tried to search Vegeta's thoughts, but was thrown back immediately. Vegeta had somehow blocked his mind from him.

Vegeta scowled. "I don't like the feeling of something creeping into my head. I suggest you don't do that. Besides, you won't find the answer that way."

"Then tell me why you said that."

"Hmph... I've always called you an idiot. What? You just realized that?"

"Vegeta..."

"Shut up, Kakarot, and listen to me. What keeps you away? Are you simply waiting for your dragon to wake? Afterwards? Kakarot, what keeps you where you are?"

Goku paused. The same words that he had been thinking sound different coming from his longtime friend and enemy. It was true; he couldn't leave, not until Shenron awoke. Then he would have to go back to tend the other dragons. But did he have to go back or can some other take his place. 

He smiled. Maybe he could come home. "Vegeta, you changed."

"Idiot..." Vegeta muttered to himself while staring at the horizon where the sun disappeared just moments before. With his back towards Goku, he jumped into the air. He didn't fly away yet, there was still that last something that he had to say. Vegeta found how he wanted to form the words and spoke. "I really suggest you see your family, Kakarot. They're the ones that you should see the most, not me." Vegeta paused before continuing. "Also, I don't want to see you anymore. I don't care what you are; you're just a ghost to me. I don't need to be dealing with the dead; I deal with the living. Go away Kakarot, and don't come back." With that, Vegeta flew away, back to his home.

Goku stood there, in shock of Vegeta's words. The words rang in his mind over and over again. '_Don't come back_' '_Just a ghost_' and '_I don't need to be dealing with the dead_'. Vegeta was right, Goku concluded sadly, he was dead to the world.

Goku looked up at the stars of earth. He shouldn't stay here too much longer, but he wanted to see his family first. With a thought, he appeared by his eldest son's bedside. Both him and his wife Videl were asleep in each other's arms. Goku touched their minds briefly and smiled. Maybe all was going to be well.

Goku spent the night visiting his sleeping friends and family. He left two for last. When he finally approached the sleeping form of his granddaughter Pan, he paused momentarily before touching her mind. She was so disturbed, one of the worst disturbed by his disappearance. He then noted that she knew where he went. He decided to help her a bit, try to get her to look forward to the future.

He had to use some of his powers but it worked. He knew that he was through with visiting Pan that night when she slept with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes.

There was another force that was pulling him away, another broken soul he had to see. With barely a thought, he was once again on her bedside. So beautiful, he thought. She cried to sleep, Goku thought to himself. A single strand of hair was covering hr face. He wished so much that he could brush it away, feel her skin and smell her hair. To have those beautiful nights together again when their children were created. A gift from the heavens, children of a god. He stared at his former lover and wife a bit longer, his ChiChi.

She belongs with the gods, he thought. But to take her away to somewhere that wasn't meant for a mortal would destroy her soul. Goku unconsciously tried to brush that stray stand of hair and winced when his hand went right through it. It wasn't painful physically, but it was painful for his soul. She was his soul mate and they should be destined to be together. So many mortal lives they had spent together for thousands of years, since he had first became mortal. Now, he couldn't even reach her, even when she was right in front of him. 

Goku sighed and touched her mind. He entered her dream with ease and looked for her. It was dark all around but he managed to make out one figure ahead. The figure seemed lost, not knowing where to go into the darkness. Goku slowly appear in front of her, trying not to startle her.

ChiChi turned to look at Goku with wide eyes. Shaking the tears away, she jumped into his arms and finally wept onto his shoulder. Goku carefully held, as careful as he could. He couldn't feel her and he was so frustrated with it. There she was in her arms and her couldn't even feel her. Reluctantly, he slowly pulled her away from himself. ChiChi looked at him surprised but relaxed when he started to brush away her tears. She took his hand and rested her cheek on it, savoring the feel if her once love. Goku stared helplessly, not knowing what to do.

"You can't feel my touch, can you Goku?"

Goku shook his head but didn't take his hand away from her. "I wish I could."

"I know." ChiChi closed her eyes but resumed talking. "I miss you, Goku."

Goku couldn't respond to that, but instead pulled her back to him and stayed in an embrace.

"Goku..." ChiChi started, but couldn't finish. He might not be able to feel her but she could feel him. ChiChi sighed and rested her head on him.

"Its good to have you back, even if it's just a short time." ChiChi finally spoke after a few silent moments. 

Goku smiled. It was good that came to everyone. It was good for them and good for himself. "We will be together again, ChiChi. Not in this life but in others. I promise we will find each other."

ChiChi broke from their embrace. "How long will that be, Goku? A Hundred years? A thousand? Is that why you never understand a long time is? That time may go away as nothing for you but for me its forever." ChiChi started crying again but they were silent tears.

"Shhh.... ChiChi." He felt her pain, her soul crying out to him. "ChiChi, I know. It will be a long time. But the longer you live your life, the shorter time it would take for us to be together again."

ChiChi looked at Goku confused. He continued talking. "You have your place in this life right now. In fact, it is your destiny to stay in this life for now. When the time comes, you'll know when you could pass on to your next life."

ChiChi looked at Goku, uncertain. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked to the ground. "Will I ever see you again in this life?"

Goku lifted her chin with his finger. They gazed into each other's eyes sinking deep into them. Suddenly, without warning, Goku reached down and kissed her. Their lips brushed together so gentle, like a feather touch.

When they broke apart, ChiChi felt as though it was done with as quickly as it happened. She noticed Goku starting to fade away and the last she saw of him was his gentle smile. ChiChi touched her lips and smiled herself. "See you soon, Goku." She whispered to herself. The darkness around her turned to light. ChiChi turned to walk towards her home. She wasn't so lost now.

Goku watched ChiChi from the distance. He hadn't left yet although he should have. He watched for a couple more seconds then turned to leave. He glanced at his ChiChi on last time. "See you soon, ChiChi." He whispered back before fading away as Son Goku and returning into a world where he had no name.


End file.
